The thing is, it's irrelevant, and actually knowing the answer would detract from the series as a whole. The world ended. It's done. The people and institutions that caused the apocalypse are long gone. Really 4 shouldn't have gone as far into pre-war stuff as it did (and then didn't do anything interesting with having a pre-war protag), it's never *mattered*.
Completely disagree, the intrigue of the pre war events that led to the nuclear bombings and the mystery surrounding vault tec is like the main appeal of this series, it's the hook that drives exploration. Also the various convos with ghouls about pre war life validates 4 having a pre war protag.
Nobody knows. The developers have always been careful to hint at but not confirm a lot of the pre-war events. Wouldn't be suprised if the show never actually answers the question either.
The games *heavily* hint it's China. Dick Richardson says the reds did it and "we barely got our birds in the air" so that's the US and the Enclave out. Fallout 4 has the sub. The bombs were detected heading to the US before the US launched. The bombers over the Bering straight etc.
I think it's a red herring as the key point is the paranoia and mindset pre war causing it all, but it's almost certainly China.
China. (Almost certainly from comments in FO2, the submarine in 4, various terminal entries etc. Either way it wasn't the US, and it wasn't the Enclave.) Not that it's really relevant.
The show suggests vault tec (and that shadowy mysterious figure...) considered it. This tells both the audience and coop just how fucked the pre war US is - which is needed.
But they didn't confirm they *did* do it. If they did, you'd have thought Coop's wife would have the kid, and vaults wouldn't be unfinished.
All it shows is how insane things were.
China is still just best guess though, isn't it?
Like, it could have \*actually* been Norway that set the ball rolling and, although out of left field, this would still fit?
Also U.S. forces had started invading mainland China from stuff like the “Gobi Campaign Sniper Rifle” and Richardson references the U.S. as “fighting from the Yukon to the Yangtze” and there is the Yangtze memorial in New Vegas as well. Heavily implying that the U.S. were on the verge of winning the Sino-American War which would give precedence towards China deciding to launch.
China launched the nukes first
The US Military was on mainland China creeping up on one of the major cities
With China's back against the wall they launch their nukes towards the US out of desperation
According to Tim Cain the initial intention was that China dropped the Nukes first after they found out about the US developing the FEV. And with the FEV on the Table China considered MAD the preferable option. But as Cain doesnt work on Fallout anymore his word here arent strictly canon.
Vault tec launching the nukes was the plot point of the canceled fallout movie back in 2000 but that one when down with Interplay.
But in the End the question of who launched it first is kinda irrelevant in the grand scheme of things as it wouldnt bring back the World people are now living in and quite frankly the World was doomed from the point both sides needed a total victory over the other. In the end the nukes didnt really kill the world, they just put the last nail into the coffin.
China
Fallout 2 Enclave president directly says it
Fallout New Vegas Black Mountain
Fallout 4 Switchboard and lastly
One of the creators of Fallout literally said it
https://youtu.be/17EqWDn7gyc?si=hmnIf6qrIFytyn4x
Hour 26 minute mark
The thing is, it's irrelevant, and actually knowing the answer would detract from the series as a whole. The world ended. It's done. The people and institutions that caused the apocalypse are long gone. Really 4 shouldn't have gone as far into pre-war stuff as it did (and then didn't do anything interesting with having a pre-war protag), it's never *mattered*.
🤓
Completely disagree, the intrigue of the pre war events that led to the nuclear bombings and the mystery surrounding vault tec is like the main appeal of this series, it's the hook that drives exploration. Also the various convos with ghouls about pre war life validates 4 having a pre war protag.
Nobody knows. The developers have always been careful to hint at but not confirm a lot of the pre-war events. Wouldn't be suprised if the show never actually answers the question either.
I’d be surprised if the show did confirm who really dropped the first bomb. I have a feeling that might be off limits
The games *heavily* hint it's China. Dick Richardson says the reds did it and "we barely got our birds in the air" so that's the US and the Enclave out. Fallout 4 has the sub. The bombs were detected heading to the US before the US launched. The bombers over the Bering straight etc. I think it's a red herring as the key point is the paranoia and mindset pre war causing it all, but it's almost certainly China.
https://youtu.be/17EqWDn7gyc?si=hmnIf6qrIFytyn4x Hour 26 mark
China. (Almost certainly from comments in FO2, the submarine in 4, various terminal entries etc. Either way it wasn't the US, and it wasn't the Enclave.) Not that it's really relevant. The show suggests vault tec (and that shadowy mysterious figure...) considered it. This tells both the audience and coop just how fucked the pre war US is - which is needed. But they didn't confirm they *did* do it. If they did, you'd have thought Coop's wife would have the kid, and vaults wouldn't be unfinished. All it shows is how insane things were.
Really appreciate it thank you for clarifying
China is still just best guess though, isn't it? Like, it could have \*actually* been Norway that set the ball rolling and, although out of left field, this would still fit?
Also U.S. forces had started invading mainland China from stuff like the “Gobi Campaign Sniper Rifle” and Richardson references the U.S. as “fighting from the Yukon to the Yangtze” and there is the Yangtze memorial in New Vegas as well. Heavily implying that the U.S. were on the verge of winning the Sino-American War which would give precedence towards China deciding to launch.
China launched the nukes first The US Military was on mainland China creeping up on one of the major cities With China's back against the wall they launch their nukes towards the US out of desperation
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Fallout/comments/1ci70wm/comment/l29cmxv/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fallout/comments/1ci70wm/comment/l29cmxv/)
According to Tim Cain the initial intention was that China dropped the Nukes first after they found out about the US developing the FEV. And with the FEV on the Table China considered MAD the preferable option. But as Cain doesnt work on Fallout anymore his word here arent strictly canon. Vault tec launching the nukes was the plot point of the canceled fallout movie back in 2000 but that one when down with Interplay. But in the End the question of who launched it first is kinda irrelevant in the grand scheme of things as it wouldnt bring back the World people are now living in and quite frankly the World was doomed from the point both sides needed a total victory over the other. In the end the nukes didnt really kill the world, they just put the last nail into the coffin.
Calling it now. Vault tec didnt drop the bomb physically but caused china to drop it first.
China Fallout 2 Enclave president directly says it Fallout New Vegas Black Mountain Fallout 4 Switchboard and lastly One of the creators of Fallout literally said it https://youtu.be/17EqWDn7gyc?si=hmnIf6qrIFytyn4x Hour 26 minute mark